Jay R. Gotera
MANILA — The San Miguel Beermen made basketball history Wednesday night, dominating the Alaska Aces all night-long for a resounding 96-89 victory in Game 7 of the PBA Philippine Cup, thus becoming the first team ever to come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a championship.
Reigning back-to-back MVP June Mar Fajardo and starting guard Chris Ross led the Beermen to what fans dubbed as the “Beeracle” of the league, giving SMB its 22nd championship in franchise’s history. It was also the second straight All-Filipino Philippine Cup title for the Beermen who have now won the title in three of the last four conferences.
Fajardo, who missed the first four games of the series, led the way with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Ross also scored 21 points, including four three-pointers, on top of five rebounds and five assists.
Marcio Lassiter added 15 points while Arwind Santos posted a double-double 13 points and 10 boards.
The Beermen led by as much as 21 points, 68-47, in the third quarter after a huge 25-7 run.
But the Aces stayed undaunted and managed to cut the deficit to 75-70 with 7:35 left in the game.
But Santos doused the furious Alaska rally with a clutch three-pointer followed by back-to-back layups by Ross to restore a double-digit SMB lead, 84-72, with 4:46 remaining.
The Aces kept fighting as Cyrus Baguio nailed a three-pointer to keep his team in the game. But Ross again hit a booming three-pointer, his fourth for the night, to make it, 87-75.
Calvin Abueva and RJ Jazul scored a basket each to cut SMB’s lead to single digit again.
But Fajardo struck inside for an 89-79 SMB lead, with less than two minutes left.
Lassiter finished off the Aces with a series of free throws.
Chris Banchero led Alaska with 21 points, with most of them coming in the fourth quarter. Calvin Abueva added 16 points and nine rebounds.
Alaska actually outscored SMB 38-28, in the fourth quarter but that still fell short of overhauling the huge lead erected by the Beermen in the third quarter.
Vic Manuel, who had consistently led Alaska in its last six games, finished with just three points as he nursed a sprained ankle early in the game.
Meanwhile, the 2016 import-reinforced PBA Commissioner’s Cup unfolds on Feb. 10 with the Star Hotshots and the Meralco Bolts playing in the main game of a double-header.
Game Wednesday (Feb. 10 (PBA Governors' Cup): Talk N Text Tropang Texters vs. Blackwater Elite and Meralco Bolts vs. Star Hotshots.
